Calling On The U.S. President And Congress To Seize The Once-In-A-Lifetime Congressional Opportunity To Invest In Salmon And River Restoration In The Pacific Northwest, Charting A Stronger, Better Future For The Northwest, And Bringing Long-Ignored Tribal Justice To Our Peoples And Homelands
Support Southeast Tribes’ Request To Reinstate The Roadless Rule For The Tongass National Forest, And Support Of The Tribes’ Administrative Procedures Act Petition To Create A Separate Traditional Homeland Conservation Rule
Call Upon The State Of Oregon Department Of Environmental Quality to Establish a Review Committee to Evaluate the Actual and Real Impacts of Transloading Heavy Crude at Port Westward by the Columbia Pacific Bio-Refinery
May 27, 2020 Sonny Perdue, Secretary of Agriculture U.S. Department of Agriculture 1400 Independence Avenue SW Washington, DC 20250
Dear Honorable Secretary Perdue,
The Affiliated Tribes of Northwest Indians (ATNI) requests the U.S. Forest Service to fully protect designated roadless areas in the Tongass National Forest. ATNI stands in support and solidarity with the Organized Village of Kake and several other Southeast Alaska Tribes, which have made it very clear that any rule that weakens or eliminates Roadless Rule protections within Tribal traditional territory of the Tongass National Forest will substantially affect Southeast Tribes’ inherent Tribal rights to traditional and customary uses of the land. During ATNI’s Annual Convention on October 10, 2019, nearly 50 member Tribes from SE Alaska, Washington, Oregon, Idaho, Montana, and Northern California passed resolution #19-58, which supported the ‘no-action alternative’ as the preferred alternative in the Tongass National Forest, Alaska Roadless Rulemaking process.
On October 15, 2019, the United States Forest Service (USFS) released the Draft Tongass Rule that proposed granting a complete exemption to the 2001 National Roadless Conservation Rule. The USFS is advancing the Tongass Roadless final rule review even though a state of national emergency has been declared in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. The Organized Village of Kake and other Southeast Alaska Tribes have raised serious concerns about the USFS closing a cooperator review input period for the draft final rule one week after the national emergency was declared. This is an unconscionable act without any consideration of the good faith efforts of Tribes trying to protect their customary and traditional lands.
President Trump issued an executive order declaring a state of national emergency on March 13, 2020, in response to the COVID-19 outbreak in the United States. Since then, numerous U.S. governmental organizations, including the U.S. Supreme Court and the Internal Revenue Service, have announced extensions of normal filing deadlines because of ongoing public health concerns relating to COVID-19. Additionally, Alaska Governor Dunleavy has instituted numerous restrictions limiting the public’s ability to gather, work, and travel. Southeast Tribal communities are exhausting all available resources to prepare and address this health crisis in their communities. All of these restrictions make it extremely challenging, if not impossible, to engage in federal rulemaking. Around March 7, 2020, the Forest Service sent Southeast Alaska Tribal cooperators a pre-public draft, final environmental impact statement, and requested feedback by March 21, 2020. The Forest Service did not suspend this process or extend this deadline even though a national pandemic emergency had been declared in the interim.
Southeast Tribes involved in Forest Service planning processes, like most communities, are entirely focused on the COVID-19 crisis and are unable to devote the time and attention to participate meaningfully during this declared national emergency health crisis. Tribes and Tribal leaders are working hard to keep their respective communities and families healthy and safe while complying with the extraordinary restrictions being implemented to contain and limit the spread of the disease. COVID-19 has disrupted normal working, schooling, and living conditions, impairing the ability of many parents, elders, and members of the general public to go about their daily routines and conduct regular business, much less weigh in on Forest Service actions.
In-person meetings that are essential for high-quality Tribal participation and consultation in planning processes cannot take place, as Tribes must maintain the recommended or mandated health standards and “social distancing” required to protect vulnerable populations. Virtual meetings and other online tools cannot meet the requirements of a robust discussion that would inform a Tribal position on draft documents. Many Tribal communities do not have the technology, internet resources, or bandwidth necessary to enable participation in virtual meetings or to review of large documents. This problem is compounded by the closures of Forest Service offices and local libraries, preventing access to online or hard copies of planning documents. Any existing digital platforms and networks, especially in remote, rural areas, are being overwhelmed with increased demands at this time, which will further impede connection and participation. The fact is the COVID-19 pandemic will continue to create significant challenges for Southeast Alaska Tribal communities and all of Indian Country. Until Tribes can fully participate, ATNI requests that USDA/USFS suspend the roadless review process and retroactively suspend the cooperator review timeframe, until the national emergencies concluded.
After the national emergency has been lifted, Southeast Alaska Tribes will be able to meaningfully fulfill their role as cooperators and provide a comprehensive review of the pre-public rule documents at that time. Such action would be consistent with the President’s emergency declaration to improve public engagement and build goodwill with many stakeholders during these unprecedented and challenging times.
https://atnitribes.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/10/atni_logo_tan2.png304304Tyrel Otthttps://atnitribes.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/12/ATNI-logo.pngTyrel Ott2020-05-27 18:40:002020-06-18 18:44:05“No-action alternative”; as the preferred alternative in the Tongass National Forest, Alaska Roadless Rulemaking process.
Support of Affiliated Tribes of Northwest Indian’s Representation at the National Congress of American Indians Food Sovereignty Advance Initiative Policy Symposiums
2020 Winter Convention
Portland, Oregon
RESOLUTION #2020 – 15
“SUPPORT OF AFFILIATED TRIBES OF NORTHWEST INDIAN’S REPRESENTATION AT THE NATIONAL CONGRESS OF AMERICAN INDIANS FOOD SOVEREIGNTY ADVANCEMENT INITIATIVE POLICY SYMPOSIUMS”
PREAMBLE
We, the members of the Affiliated Tribes of Northwest Indians of the United States, invoking the divine blessing of the Creator upon our efforts and purposes, in order to preserve for ourselves and our descendants rights secured under Indian Treaties, Executive Orders, and benefits to which we are entitled under the laws and constitution of the United States and several states, to enlighten the public toward a better understanding of the Indian people, to preserve Indian cultural values, and otherwise to promote the welfare of the Indian people, do hereby establish and submit the following resolution:
WHEREAS, the Affiliated Tribes of Northwest Indians (ATNI) are representatives of and advocates for national, regional, and specific tribal concerns; and
WHEREAS, ATNI is a regional organization comprised of American Indians/Alaska Natives (AI/AN) and tribes in the states of Washington, Idaho, Oregon, Montana, Nevada, Northern California, and Alaska; and
WHEREAS, the health, safety, welfare, education, economic and employment opportunity, and preservation of cultural and natural resources are primary goals and objectives of the ATNI; and
WHEREAS, misguided federal policies have stripped tribal nations of land and access to healthy traditional foods; and
WHEREAS, as a result of these federal policies AI/AN face significant health disparities including higher rates of chronic diseases such as Type II diabetes and cardiovascular disease compared to other populations; and
WHEREAS, there is an urgent need for Northwest Tribes to devise strategies and policy on food sovereignty; and
WHEREAS, food sovereignty strengthens agriculture, localizes food systems, improves economies, and improves the health and well-being of Native children, family and cultures; and
WHEREAS, ATNI’s primary goals and objectives are focused on health safety, welfare, education, economic and employment opportunity, and preservation of cultural and natural resources; and
WHEREAS, the ATNI Food Sovereignty Sub-Committee was formed to increase the support for dissemination of information, and policy development including protocols and laws impacting the tribal food system; and
WHEREAS, the ATNI Food Sovereignty Sub-Committee provides an opportunity for Northwest Tribal leaders to engage in dialogue with other tribes, organizations and decision makers to share information, discuss needs and issues, strategize, and develop regional and national policy; and
WHEREAS, the National Congress of American Indians (NCAI) has developed a National Food Sovereignty Advancement Initiative; and
WHEREAS, the NCAI Food Sovereignty Advancement Initiative will hold four food sovereignty policy symposiums in the areas of agriculture, water, land, and climate action policy; and
WHEREAS, these food sovereignty symposiums will gather information on how the federal government can alter the policies to empower food production efforts of tribal nations; and
WHEREAS, the information gathered will be synthesized into a series of policy reports to be released by NCAI next year; and
WHEREAS, it is imperative that Northwest Tribes provide input at these NCAI food sovereignty policy symposiums to ensure Northwest Tribal priorities are included; now
THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, that ATNI supports the attendance of representatives from the Food Sovereignty Sub-Committee at the NCAI Food Sovereignty Advancement Initiatives policy symposiums to communicate the needs of ATNI tribes.
CERTIFICATION
The foregoing resolution was adopted at the 2020 Winter Convention of the Affiliated Tribes of Northwest Indians, held at the DoubleTree by Hilton – Portland, Oregon, on January 27-30, 2020, with a quorum present.
https://atnitribes.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/12/ATNI-logo.png00Tyrel Otthttps://atnitribes.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/12/ATNI-logo.pngTyrel Ott2020-02-02 01:38:342020-02-02 01:38:39Support of Affiliated Tribes of Northwest Indian’s Representation at the National Congress of American Indians Food Sovereignty Advance Initiative Policy Symposiums
Calling on the Washington State Governor and Legislature to Reform Water Rights for New Industrial and Commercial Users
2020 Winter Convention
Portland, Oregon
RESOLUTION #2020 – 14
“CALLING ON THE WASHINGTON STATE GOVERNOR AND LEGISLATURE TO REFORM WATER RIGHTS FOR NEW INDUSTRIAL AND COMMERCIAL USERS”
PREAMBLE
We, the members of the Affiliated Tribes of Northwest Indians of the United States, invoking the divine blessing of the Creator upon our efforts and purposes, in order to preserve for ourselves and our descendants rights secured under Indian Treaties, Executive Orders, and benefits to which we are entitled under the laws and constitution of the United States and several states, to enlighten the public toward a better understanding of the Indian people, to preserve Indian cultural values, and otherwise to promote the welfare of the Indian people, do hereby establish and submit the following resolution:
WHEREAS, the Affiliated Tribes of Northwest Indians (ATNI) are representatives of and advocates for national, regional, and specific tribal concerns; and
WHEREAS, ATNI is a regional organization comprised of American Indians/Alaska Natives (AI/AN) and tribes in the states of Washington, Idaho, Oregon, Montana, Nevada, Northern California, and Alaska; and
WHEREAS, the health, safety, welfare, education, economic and employment opportunity, and preservation of cultural and natural resources are primary goals and objectives of the ATNI; and
WHEREAS, 90.44 Revised Code of Washington (RCW) describes the State of Washington’s process for the management of public groundwater; and
WHEREAS, Washington State provides for a permitting process for industrial or commercial purposes exceeding a specific use or quantity; and
WHEREAS, the State of Washington does not charge a market-rate fee to obtain public groundwater; and
WHEREAS, the State of Washington Senate passed SB 6091 in January 2018; and
WHEREAS, SB 6091 requires a $500 fee on wells and, in some places will limit withdrawals to an annual average of 950 gallons a day, as well as private well meters in some communities; and
WHEREAS, although SB 6091 represents a step forward for Washington water conservation, it does not address significant water withdrawals by industrial and commercial interests; and
WHEREAS, SB 6091 established RCW 90.44, “Streamflow Restoration,” which establishes methods for restoring streamflow in watersheds where water scarcity is a concern; and
WHEREAS, water ‘buy-backs’ have been occurring at a rate which establishes that there is a market and a value for public water resources; and
WHEREAS, the State of Washington does not establish a value or charge private commercial or industrial water developers a market rate for their withdrawals; now
THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, that ATNI does hereby call upon the Washington State Governor and the Washington State Legislature to reform water rights for new industrial and commercial water users; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that ATNI calls upon the Washington State Governor and the Washington State Legislature to value public water resources appropriately to market rates; and
BE IT FINALLY RESOLVED, that ATNI requests the Washington State Governor and the Washington State Legislature to cease the practice of giving away public resources to private companies while charging private citizens for water use.
CERTIFICATION
The foregoing resolution was adopted at the 2020 Winter Convention of the Affiliated Tribes of Northwest Indians, held at the DoubleTree by Hilton – Portland, Oregon, on January 27-30, 2020, with a quorum present.
https://atnitribes.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/12/ATNI-logo.png00Tyrel Otthttps://atnitribes.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/12/ATNI-logo.pngTyrel Ott2020-02-02 01:32:492020-02-02 01:32:54Calling on the Washington State Governor and Legislature to Reform Water Rights for New Industrial and Commercial Users
